The Darkness Method
by Raptor 101
Summary: Don't mind me. Just keep walkin'. Nothin' to see here, folks...
1. Into the Darkness

**It had begun right after the announcement. The announcement that, given time, would sweep across Kanto and Johto, and eventually reach Hoenn in the form of panic. The League was lost, so it was said, to the power that it had been trying to keep bottled. The Elite Four had tried to stop it from escaping its prison, but even they failed. Instead, the Four were split apart and separated. Two succumbed to the alluring force that promised power and fortune. The other two fled before it could taint them, burying themselves deep within Johto and seeming to vanish, never to be heard from again.**

**The Pokémon of the two unfortunates underwent a horrifying transformation seemingly overnight, their masters within a few days. The Pokémon gained horrific abilities as a side effect. They could now think and plan, battle and destroy without the guidance and influence of their masters. A few could speak in the human language, their new intelligence affording the opportunity to learn. Their attacks increased tenfold for every intelligence point gained. Hyper Beam was no longer a threat. It was certain death.**

**The humans were not without their gain, however. Bruno, although already physically stronger than any human, became stronger than even his Fighting types. In strength, he gained speed and stamina, the powers of quick healing and Focus Energy. Bruno became the lord of Fighting types, as his new powers also allowed him control over them. **

**Lance's gain was the power of the Dragons. Pure raw power surged through his body, transforming him into one of them, giving his skin armor that only Ice could break. He was given the gift of flight, and long leathery wings replaced his usual black cape. The gift of Dragonite's Safeguard kept him from aging. And, the gift of a Dragon's vision allowed him to see all that he needed to know.**

**They both became forces of destruction that would lead Kanto into a state of eternal darkness within only a few months. Under Lance, the Dragon types ruled over all others, and they became servants of Darkness. Under Bruno, the Fighting types kept the servants under control and tainted others they came by, until the Darkness Plague had taken almost every innocent Pokémon, and made them slaves to their own destructive powers. The few that weren't taken were killed, human and Pokémon alike.**

**The Plague, as it came to be called, spread further and faster than wildfire. All of Kanto was soon infected and under Lance's control, until a mysterious black wind blew up and delivered itself to the steps of Indigo Plateau.**

**It was then that Lance and Bruno discovered the true pain and torture of the Plague.**

**It was all the people of Johto could do to keep the Darkness Plague confined to Kanto. Many worked through day and night keeping watch at certain points along the mountain range barrier, making sure that none of the taint ever got through. It was only when guards and their Pokémon started disappearing that the boarder towns realized that it was already too late. The Plague had somehow seeped through the mountains. Some speculated that it was caused by the continuous tunneling of infected Sandslash and Onix, others thought that the eternal eye of the former Elite Four leader had made it so. Whatever the reason, the cities of Blackthorn and Mahogany thought a resistance would be needed, and set about creating one while the Plague slowly made its way through Johto.**

**But the Plague had ways of intrusion. Plans for the resistance were discovered a few months into its infancy, and were brought to the new Darkness Lord. He saw it as an unnecessary threat and sent his top general to deal with it. Lance was efficient in his work and the mayors, who were leading the resistance, were brought to their knees and publicly executed. He left under the pretense that Blackthorn would cooperate, Mahogany would disembark all resistance activities, and both cities would stay quiet and allow the Plague to continue its way through Johto. But despite the danger they were obviously in, the people the mayors had died for took up secret arms. They carried on Mayor Thornweed and Mayor Bristle's wishes and brought the opposition underground under the guidance of their new leaders: Mahogany Town's Gym Leader Pryce and Blackthorn City's Gym Leader Claire. Under them, the other five Johto Gym Leaders became the front line defense against the Darkness Plague.**

**Or rather…its victims…**


	2. Part One: Chapter One

The crowd fell silent when Lance went and stood in the center of the square, strapping arm blades to both his lower arms and glaring at the two men kneeling in front of him. Both appeared terrified, and their silence was taken as a sad attempt at bravery. The sun reflected dully on his black armor as he turned to face the crowd, a slight wind kicking up several spikes of his red and black hair.

"These men are sentenced to die," he said loudly, voice echoing off the surrounding buildings. "These lives cannot be spoken for, and any debt they have is henceforth dissolved."

"An executioner. Is that what youve become, boy?"

Lance cocked his head to one side, a cold glint in his eye.

"Are you referring to me, Mayor Bristle? Or are you referring to the boy who was once me?"

The lean, work hardened man raised his eyes to look Lance straight in the eye, a sparking green meeting a menacing black.

"I was referring to the once honorable Elite Four's Leader. You deserve no such title now, Lance Draken."

An unfeeling, almost thoughtful frown made itself present across Lances brow as he turned and knelt down in front of the chained man. With a tip of one of the long arm blades, he held Mayor Bristles chin up while returning his glare.

"Tell me, Mayor Bristle, what do you want done with your body after I behead it?" A cold racing shiver ran down Bristles spine when he saw the intentions streaking across Lances eyes. "I think it will make for a decent meal for my Dragonite, don't you think?"

Bristle didn't reply. Lance stood up and crossed his arms over his head, blades gleaming in the sunlight.

"May your souls rest in eternal damnation."

With one fluid motion, Lance swung his arms down. A collective gasp came from the crowd when the men's heads seemed to slide away from their bodies, hitting the pavement with solid thuds. A second later their bodies followed suit. Lance stood from where he had dropped to one knee, taking a cloth from a back pocket of his black, loose fitting pants and wiped the blood from the blades with four long swipes; one for either side of the blades.

A woman began sobbing and had to be restrained, but otherwise the people remained in silent shock. Lance recognized her as Mayor Bristle's wife. One of the men pushed his way to the front and balled up his fists, opening his mouth and closing it as if trying to get his words to come out. A sputtering sound came out, and he finally got his vocal cords to work.

"The Plague will be beaten, Lance! No matter what you do, it will be defeated! I'll make sure of it for my father!"

Lance turned his head to acknowledge the man with a raised eyebrow, not the slightest bit afraid or unsettled as he raised a blade level to the man's throat.

"I suppose it'll be you I kill next then, won't it?" he asked coolly. The man growled, but didn't retort. Lance gave the crowd one last sweep with a glare. "Let this serve as a warning to all those who think they can defeat my master's Plague. I will be back."

His eyes settled on the front steps of Blackthorn's Gym and he scowled deeply before flaring his wings out and taking flight.

Claire watched Lance until he had disappeared over the mountain peaks rearing up on Blackthorn's eastern boarder. Pryce stood beside her, hands clasped behind his back. When Claire didn't speak, he sighed.

"You cannot let family ties interfere, Claire."

She didn't take her eyes off the spot where Lance disappeared, but frowned at Pryce's words.

"I have no family ties left but one, Pryce. My brother died when the Plague took him."

Claire turned and went back through the Gyms front doors without another word. Pryce stood a moment longer to watch the crowd gather around the bodies and begin to clean up. He knew the two cities were in trouble, but it would be his announcement at the funeral he prayed would keep them united.

_So he has a Master_. Pryce shook his head. _Spirits unite us against this darkness,_ he murmured.


End file.
